Carrot Cake Cookies capture everything I love about the classic dessert in one soft, spiced bite. They’re packed with cinnamon and nutmeg, studded with bits of carrot that add natural sweetness. The cream cheese frosting melts slightly on your tongue, tangy and smooth. They’re the kind of cookie that makes spring feel official.

Carrot Cake Cookies topped with swirls of cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts rest on a parchment-lined baking tray. — Carrot Cake Cookies. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

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I bake them for Easter celebrations, spring potlucks, and Mother’s Day brunches because they’re easy to make and share. They’re also great for birthdays, tea parties, and bake sales since they travel well and everyone loves them. They’re kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing, and perfect for gifting. They stay fresh at room temperature for 4 days or in the fridge for 5 days.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Assorted baking ingredients in bowls labeled as carrots, eggs, cream cheese, nutmeg, and more—everything you need to bake delicious Carrot Cake Cookies bursting with warm spices, oats, walnuts, and a hint of vanilla. — Carrot Cake Cookies Ingredients. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies with Step-By-Step Instructions

Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.

I think you’ll love how simple it is to make this bakery-style carrot cake cookies recipe at home.

Preheat and Prepare Your Baking Sheets

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line three baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. I use nonstick baking mats because they’re reusable and the cookies never stick.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Whisk until everything’s evenly distributed through the flour. The spices smell amazing when you combine them.

Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3 minutes on medium speed.

Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until everything’s smooth and combined. Stir in the shredded or grated carrots until well distributed throughout the batter.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. You don’t want to overmix here because it can make the cookies tough.

Fold in the chopped walnuts gently with a silicone spatula so you don’t overwork the dough.

Scoop and Bake the Cookies

Use a cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough evenly onto each prepared baking sheet, about 2 tablespoons each. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie, so they have room to spread and bake evenly.

Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the tops are beautifully golden brown. The edges should look set, but the centers might still look slightly soft.

Let them cool completely on the baking sheets before frosting so they firm up a bit. You can also transfer them to a cooling rack after a few minutes to let them cool completely.

Eight scoops of unbaked cookie dough for Carrot Cake Cookies are arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet. A small bowl of chopped walnuts sits nearby. — Scoop the dough onto the baking sheets, bake for 11–14 minutes until golden, and let the cookies cool..

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cookies cool, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in another bowl until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the confectioners’ or powdered sugar, so you can get it incorporated evenly, and continue mixing until you have a thick, spreadable frosting. If it’s too thick, you can add a teaspoon of milk to loosen it up.

Frost and Garnish

Once your cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of each one using a piping bag. Sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts over the frosting for garnish and a nice crunch.

A baking tray lined with parchment paper holds twelve Carrot Cake Cookies, six of which are topped with swirls of frosting and chopped nuts. — Frost the cookies, sprinkle with walnuts, and serve.

Serve and enjoy!

If you’re taking these cookies to a potluck, picnic, or spring gathering, pack them in a single layer in an airtight container to protect the frosting. The cream cheese frosting is stable at room temperature for a few hours.

If you’re traveling for longer or it’s a warm day, carefully place the container in an insulated carrier to keep the cookies cool and to prevent the frosting from melting or losing its shape.

Carrot Cake Cookies

I love making Carrot Cake Cookies when I want all the flavor of carrot cake but in easy handheld cookie form. They're soft, spiced cookies made with oats, shredded carrots, and crunchy walnuts, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. I bake them for Easter, Mother's Day brunches, spring potlucks, birthdays, and bake sales because they're kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing, and travel well. They stay fresh at room temperature for 4 days, in the fridge for 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Course: cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Carrot Cake Cookies

Servings: cookies

Calories: 293kcal

Equipment

3 Baking sheet lined with
Nonstick baking mat or parchment paper
Cookie scoop

Ingredients

For the cookies:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups shredded carrots
½ cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ cup cream cheese softened
¼ cup unsalted butter softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup quick oats, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
In a large bowl, beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Stir in the shredded carrots.
1 cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup white sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 ¼ cups shredded carrots
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.
½ cup chopped walnuts
Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
Bake for 11–14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cookies cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, mixing until creamy.
½ cup cream cheese, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Frost each cooled cookie and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

Video

Notes

This is one of those cookie recipes I love making on repeat, so here are a few tricks that make them turn out perfectly every time.

Use freshly shredded carrots: Pre-shredded carrots from the store are too dry and won’t give you the same moist texture, so grate your own fresh carrots using a box grater.

Toast the walnuts first: Toasting walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes brings out their flavor and adds extra depth to the cookies. You can also swap them for pecans if you prefer nuts with a sweeter, buttery crunch.

Don’t overmix the dough: Once you add the flour mixture, mix until just combined to keep the cookies soft and tender instead of tough.

Chill the dough if it’s too soft: If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels too soft to scoop, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes so the cookies hold their shape better while baking.

Wait for them to cool: If you frost warm cookies, the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide off, so be patient and wait until they’re room temperature, and always use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor.

Store properly: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, or place unfrosted ones on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then freeze in freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw fully before frosting.

Nutrition

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How to Store Leftovers

If not yet frosted, you can store your carrot cake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Once you’ve added the frosting, you need to refrigerate them because the cream cheese needs to be chilled.

For longer storage, place unfrosted cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers, or wrap them first in BPA-free plastic wrap before freezing for up to 2 months.

Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 2 hours and frost them fresh before serving so the frosting tastes its best.

What to Serve With Carrot Cake Cookies

These cookies are perfect alongside a cup of hot coffee or tea for an afternoon snack. I also love serving them with fresh fruit like strawberries or orange slices because the citrus complements the warm spices.

For a spring brunch spread, pair them with quiche, fruit salad, and mimosas. If you’re putting together an Easter dessert table, they look beautiful next to lemon bars, coconut macaroons, and pastel-colored desserts.

You could also set them out with other spring treats like shortbread cookies, sugar cookies, or lemon pound cake to create a festive dessert lineup for Easter celebrations.

More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home

I’ve got plenty of other delicious cookie recipes perfect for parties and spring gatherings.

About the Author

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Hey there! I’m Mandy

Mandy Applegate is a home cook, food blogger, and writer who believes the best meals are the ones shared with the people you love.

She’s all about easy recipes that taste amazing, the kind that make ordinary days feel a little more special and remind you why cooking at home matters.

She has been published on NBC, the Daily News, the Boston Herald, and the Chicago Sun-Times, amongst many others.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need